Today, I am proud delighted freaking ecstatic to be showcasing N.L. Gervasio a.k.a. Jinx and her release of the novel Nemesis.

I first read this novel way back in the beginning, and have subsequently re-read it numerous times, throughout the editing process. Now I’m not usually a gigantic fan of the Romance genre, but the main female character is a total bad-ass chick, which I immediately identified with.

Nemesis:

Prince Charming was a putz.

Prince Charming number two was even worse.

After the last prince ran off without any notice, breaking her heart and their engagement along the way, Nemesis Mussolini swore off men and passed the time kicking ass and slinging drinks, something her mafia father would never approve of. But, when her boss Clancy ups his flirtations, it’s difficult to remember she’s not interested, especially when he gets that delicious evil glint in his eye that has her melting. Just when Nemy starts to think all men might not be bad, she hears whispers about Clancy’s less than legal past, and wants to run like hell from the idea that he could be just like her father.

Great … Prince Charming number three may possibly be on FBI’s Most Wanted.

While Nemy and Clancy tumble down the romance road, hitting potholes every step of the way, Nemy discovers how much of her heart already belongs to Clancy, and how much of a Don’s daughter she really is. When Clancy’s daughter is kidnapped, they must work together to use every talent and connection they have to get her back, which means Nemy must learn to trust again. If they fail, Clancy could lose his daughter forever. Can Nemy surrender in time to get her happily ever after, or is she hell-bent on letting her past keep her from the one man who could be her true Prince Charming?

Doesn’t that blurb make you want to read it?

Bad-ass chick meets bad boy…LOVE!

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing N.L. Gervasio about her new release, as well as many other various topics.

Me: As an avid reader and writer, I am always curious about how this novel came to be?

Jinx: Nemy, my main character, just started talking one night, telling me her story, and I wrote it down. I can’t recall what the actual trigger was, to be honest, but I can tell you that it foretold the demise of my relationship about two months before it happened. For whatever reason, my fiction always correlates with my reality in one way or another. Yes, I find it strange too. The funny part is that I’d only ever written one romance story in my life (my first book as an adult), having moved on to the paranormal after that and staying there for a good long time before this one popped up. It kind of shocked me when I realized it wasn’t paranormal, though I’d flirted with the idea of turning it into a werewolf book well after it was finished. The reason I didn’t was because I’d already written a book and a half on my thirteen-book werewolf series, and the two books would have been too similar.

Me: How much time did it take to write initially and after revisions?

Jinx: It took approximately two and a half months to write, and a year and a half off and on to edit.

Me: Anything personal you’d like to share about inspiration?

Jinx: For me, Life is inspiration. I don’t have a muse. I don’t believe in them, unless you want to call Life a muse. The tiniest thing can trigger a story for me. For instance, on my Unclouded Perspicacity blog, I have a Flash Friday short (less than 1000 words) titled Fallen. The story, which will turn into the second book of my Armageddon trilogy, was triggered by a falling star. It wasn’t just any typical falling star though. This one burned long and bright and it had an orange tail. I’d never seen one like it, so I surmised what it could possibly be and why it was different than all the others. And out popped a book!The first is Dusk of Death.

Me: I posed this question to your partner at Running Ink Press, Sharon Gerlach, during her interview for the Malakh release, and I think it applies well with this novel: Bad boys or Good guys?

Jinx: I tend to lean toward the bad boy image, which is why the hero, Clancy, isn’t exactly a “good guy” in this book, but more along the lines of “good fella,” if you catch my drift.

Me: I adored the addition, in the later revisions, of Sean, the quintessential Irish bad boy. How did he come into being?

Jinx: Sean was actually part of the major overhaul I edited into the book after an impromptu 15-minute plot session with CJ Redwine. She helped me find the gaping holes in my novel and together we figured out how to fix it, so I owe a lot to her.

Me: None of your characters are strictly good or bad, but some sort of balance between the two. Was that a conscious attempt to make them more human?

Jinx: Absolutely! Characters can’t be perfect. They have to have flaws, just like we do, or they won’t be believable.

Me: Is there room for a sequel? Maybe a novella of Cherry’s story? (ok so that’s what I want to see)

Jinx: Nemesis is the first of a seven-book series I like to call the Kick-Ass Girls Club series, but hey, I love the idea of writing a novella for Cherry! Thanks!

You can find it on the Running Ink Press website, which will direct you to the purchase points.

N.L. “Jinxie” Gervasio was born on Friday the thirteenth. Her dad wanted to call her Jinx. Her mom said no. It took thirty-four years for her to discover the nickname, and she’s grown quite attached to it. She lives in Tempe, Arizona with Umi (her mother) and Moon (her Alaskan malamute). She enjoys riding her beach cruiser “The Betty” around downtown Tempe, loves a good pub crawl, and has had the pleasure and the heartache of experiencing a love far greater than she could have ever imagined.

Sharon Gerlach was in training to be a ninja, but a dismaying lack of physical grace and balance—not to mention the inability to keep her big mouth shut—ended her ninja career before it had really begun. Now she writes. She doesn’t write about ninjas because that’s obviously a sore subject. But she writes about other really cool things and figures someone else will cover the ninjas. Life’s really not all about ninjas, anyway. Sharon lives on the dry side of the Pacific Northwest with her husband (who must really be fond of her as he hasn’t left her yet despite her ninja failings); two of her three kids (none of whom possess ninja qualities either); and a Border collie who suffers the presence of seven cats. Yes, you guessed it—ninja cats!

Can I just say that I suggested that title for the blog tour? hee-hee 😉

Today, I have the honor of welcoming Sharon Gerlach to Random Musings. She’s on a blog tour, supporting the release of her first published novella, Malakh. Which is awesome, by the way. Today, Sharon and I will be discussing nice guys versus bad boys, good versus evil, the inherent humanity of her characters, and character development.

Excerpt from the book…

HE HUNTS, SILENT AND UNSEEN

The string of mutilated bodies points to a madman, but the police are stymied. Trace evidence yields no DNA, animal or human. Male, female, young, old—the victims fall without a struggle to the killer in the shadows.

HIS NEXT VICTIM HAS BEEN CHOSEN

For a brief time, Suzanne Harper wielded supernatural abilities and super-human athletic prowess, but that was while she had been the lover of an angel. The murders point to her former lover, and the trail of bodies tells a terrifying tale: he’s working his way to her.

PREY BECOMES PREDATOR

Icarus, an angel who hunts those of his kind who have fallen from grace, enlists Suzanne’s help to stop the killer, for only one as close as a lover can anticipate his next move. Now she must reconcile her heart’s longing for her lost love with her sense of justice and honor, and she must do it fast … because the next murder could be hers.

About the book…

Malakh isn’t just a tale about good versus evil. It’s about repentance, redemption, restoration. There is little to no romance—both of Suzanne’s relationships are far in the past—because the focus of the story is Suzanne’s journey from brokenness to reparation and peace, even though it means bringing judgment and justice to a treasured lover.

Malakh is available in several electronic formats from Smashwords, Amazon, and Amazon.com, for a special promotional price of $.99 through April 30.

Oh, I’m a sucker for bad boys, have been all my life. There’s just something so appealing about someone willing, ready, and unafraid to throw common sense and safety to the wind.

Which characters are the most fun to write?

Bad guys, without a doubt. There are no moral boundaries, no pesky conscience to elbow out of the way.

Who are your labors of love?

My biggest labor of love is my ultimate bad guy, Caleb Schaefer. He is still a masterpiece in progress, and I am quite pleased with him.

His counterparts – his nephew Aaron and Aaron’s wife Kimberly – are two more whose facets I’ve sculpted carefully and lovingly. They feel very real to me, and hopefully to my readers as well.

Note: Caleb Schaefer is the villain in the Wyckham House/Gothic/Sundown books. They are probably my personal favorite books Sharon has written. Unfortunately, they are still unpublished. (hint, hint, hint) 😉

Excerpt from Wyckham House:

Reckless and rash, that’s Kimberly Owens. From the impulsive act of marrying her high school sweetheart, which ultimately leads to her broken marriage and damaged heart, to her imprudent decision to search for her may-or-may-not-be-missing father in a tiny Pennsylvania town, her life has been punctuated by consequence and regret.

With no regard to the potential danger, armed only with a borrowed identity and a false sense of indestructibility, Kim probes into the mysteries of her father’s disappearance and of the stone mansion in the thick woods behind town.

So it really can’t be much of a surprise to Kim when she finds herself chained to an ancient altar in a house of the damned, waiting to be rescued by a man she shouldn’t love and who will, no doubt, finish the job of massacring her heart beyond repair. That is, if he manages to save her life before her captor ends it … or worse.

For there are things worse than death. <——-Best. Hook. Ever.

Alas, I digress…….

Physical characteristics that you consider inherently bad or good?

Ummm, not sure what you mean by that, but…as usual I will assign my own meaning. 😀 Generally when someone calls someone else “charismatic,” I think uh-oh, bad news! Which is why my favorite bad guy, Caleb Schaefer (in my paranormal series), chills me to the bone at the same time he’s so darn compelling and unforgettable.

Do you prefer a balance of good/bad in your heroes/heroines?

I don’t like perfect characters. We’re all flawed, make mistakes, make bad decisions, have flawed judgment. Why should my characters be any different? Who would relate to them if they were the paper embodiment of perfection?

In my fourth novel, one of the main female characters becomes the victim of her own impetuousness and ends up wrecking her own marriage. She knows she’s wrong, she knows she made a mistake, she knows it’s her fault, but can she bring herself to apologize? Nooooo!

Do the good guys always win? Should they?

The good guys don’t always win in real life. Therefore, they don’t always win in my fictional worlds. The truth of the matter is, you can only keep evil at bay; you can’t ever completely stop its influence or eradicate its existence. My stories are about the efforts to hold it at bay, and to keep from succumbing to its siren song.

Would you/could you kill off a character that you’re in love with simply for the sake of the plot?

Funny you should ask that. Yes, I could kill off a character I’m in love with. In fact, one of my all-time favorite characters is poised on the chopping block. But that’s a book I haven’t started writing yet.

Why?

Sometimes you have to kill off a treasured character—even a main character—to keep things realistic. People lose the ones they love all the time in real life, and to think that fictional life is any different isn’t being true and isn’t being fair to the readers. Not everything is happily ever after. You want happily ever after, best not read my stuff. lol

Is redemption attainable by your villains?

Oh, definitely. Even dastardly Caleb Schaefer has his regrets. Will I allow his redemption? That remains to be seen.

How blurry do the lines between good/evil become when dealing with angels as opposed to humans?

Actually, for me, the lines clarify rather than blur when dealing with angels. The good angels—these still in service and obedience to God—are obviously held to a higher standard, which makes Raum’s affair with Suzanne and his subsequent murderous spree a greater affront to the heavenly realm.

Demons, on the other hand—well, one can’t expect too much by way of good from them, and they rarely disappoint.

It was actually harder to write the angels because good and bad with them are so clearly defined. It’s much easier when dealing with humankind, who can be flawed and yet still be good; or can come across as pure as the driven snow and have a heart as black as sin.

Thank you, Sharon for these awesome answers. I know we’ve discussed villains versus nice guys previously, and I think we’re on the same page, as far as bad boys go. 😉

Sharon Gerlach is a Program Specialist II in a financial aid office at a community college. She is also a writer in her spare time, and has completed three novel-length manuscripts. Two more are in various stages of production. She loves very dark beer, tequila, and scotch, although not at the same time. Her husband, Gail, is her best friend, and she loves her life!

In Sharon’s words:

I believe there is room in friendship for people to believe in different things without it affecting relationships.

I collect antique teapots, kids, and cats.

I have been writing since the age of 11. I didn’t complete my first novel until the age of 42. Go figure. Middle-age is my golden era.

I am not afraid to get old. I am enjoying life more now than I did when I was younger. Beauty fades; wisdom shines.

The string of mutilated bodies points to a madman, but the police are stymied. Trace evidence yields no DNA, animal or human. Male, female, young, old—the victims fall without a struggle to the killer in the shadows.

His next victim has been chosen.

For a brief time, Suzanne Harper wielded supernatural abilities and super-human athletic prowess, but that was while she had been the lover of an angel. The murders point to her former lover, and the trail of bodies tells a terrifying tale: he’s working his way to her.

Prey becomes predator.

Icarus, an angel who hunts those of his kind who have fallen from grace, enlists Suzanne’s help to stop the killer, for only one as close as a lover can anticipate his next move. Now she must reconcile her heart’s longing for her lost love with her sense of justice and honor, and she must do it fast … because the next murder could be hers.”

Can I just tell you how excited proud happy just plain SQUEE I am today?! 🙂

Sharon and I have been friends for years! We first met over on Writer’s Cafe in 2006 or 2007? I honestly can’t even remember how long, but it feels like forever?! This was prior to THE GREAT WC DELETE in 2008. If you weren’t there then, it was the moment when the entire site crashed, and thousands of writers lost all their work. BACK UP YOUR SHIT PEOPLE!!!! I, of course, was still a fledgling in the world of online writing, and I lost almost everything. Sharon managed to help me find a lot of my work. THANK YOU!!!

And as they say, it was all over from there?!

We (awesome writer peeps) all left the WC fairly soon after that incident, but it wasn’t just that one occurrence. WC had gotten extremely junior high-ish, and I don’t play that. So now, we all have our own blogs.

Don’t get me wrong, I made the core of my online writing friends through Writer’s Cafe. Writers I still follow, read and pimp when needed. (see below)

And years later, we all still keep in contact via Twitter or Facebook or whatever. I’ve read all of Sharon’s novels. At least three times a piece? 😉

Yes, they are all that good.

I’m just thrilled that Sharon has finally decided to self-publish?! She had played the traditional publishing game for too long, and while she’s definitely worthy of a huge publishing contract, it’s simply not that easy.

I’ve been telling her for a while to “Go Indie!” Not that it’s cop-out from traditional, but for me, it’s all about control. And not having to wait for other people to pull their heads out their rears and realize what awesome potential is out there?!

And I’m thrilled that Sharon & Jinx have launched Running Ink Press with Malakh being their first release!

Go buy it! Or if you can’t afford the $1.99, simply email Sharon for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Seriously though, it’s cheap. So support your local Indie authors!

Email her at SHARONLGERLACH (at) GMAIL(dot) COM with the subject line MALAKH COUPON (so her spam filter doesn’t swat you into cyber-oblivion). She will e-mail all interested parties a coupon code for a free download at Smashwords.

I will be interviewing Sharon towards the end of the month, when she launches her WRITER UNLEASHED ON THE WORLD BLOG TOUR.